SEHS students take part in West Point ethics conference

South Effingham High School students who attended an ethics conference at JCB, sponsored by the West Point Society of Savannah, were Kuyler Adams, Courtney Beck, Ian Byrd, Micah Christensen, Austin Freeman, Josey Jimenez, Michaela Lariscy, Michael Pinder, Martin Porterfield and Colton Williams.

A group of South Effingham High School Students and Principal Dr. Mark Winters last month attended a conference on ethics sponsored by the West Point Society of Savannah and JCB.

Eight U.S. Military Academy cadets led this conference held at the JCB manufacturing site in Pooler. Students from high schools throughout the Coastal Empire interacted with the cadets during this event. JCB executives also interacted with the students. These executives shared about the importance of ethics in the business world.

The students were given a tour of the JCB plant before eating a lunch prepared in the kitchen at JCB.

During the conference, students were able to discuss situations in which individuals would be called upon to act ethically. The honor code of West Point served as an example of an ethical standard that the cadets live by each day. These cadets have taken an oath not to lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do. High school students were challenged by the cadets to take an ethical stand in their lives at school and at home. The high school students discussed with the cadets how their schools and communities would be different if students and adults would live by an honor code. The conference focused on how high school student leaders can live by a strong code of ethics.

Some of the students attending the conference aspire to become military leaders, but many of the students did not express a desire to enter the military.

The West Point Society of Savannah and JCB sponsor this conference each year not as recruiting tool but as a leadership conference for high school students.